It Don’t Mean A Thing…

…if it ain’t got that swing!

photo source

Hello, Gentle Reader. Both LHR and I have been missing in action for many months. Life gets busy! I’ve been pretty occupied blogging over here recently, and LHR is up to her ears in work and puppy training.

BUT, in the meantime, I have also taken up a new pursuit, something I have always wanted to learn to do. Yes, at the ripe old age of (mutter mutter mumble), I have started swing dancing.

And. I. Love. It.
Seriously, I might be addicted.

photo source

How I got into swing dancing is a long story, one I promise to share in another post, but you won’t be surprised to learn that it was clothing that got me started. Tonight I am off to my weekly Lindy Hop class with the amazing Natalia and Luis of Lindy Hop Revolution and I am going to trial run a new outfit. Yes, I am keen to learn to dance well, but I’d be lying if I said I do not spend a lot of time planning my swing dancing outfits.

Here is the thing that no one really mentions about the swing scene:
dancing that hard is Mighty Sweaty Work.
Which means that wearing the kind of original vintage clothing that got me started on this whole journey is simply not an option; you do NOT want to be working up a sweat in a 1940s frock.
Nor do you want to expose fragile fabric and seams to vigorous physical activity.

So, I am always on the hunt for outfits that are cute, have a bit of a retro flair (if possible) and are comfortable for dancing. Tonight’s outfit is the following:

1. I quickly learned that wearing my hair up is critical; it is marginally cooler to keep my hair off the back of my neck. Tonight, I am borrowing a look from Rosie the Riveter— 40s girls wore headscarves to protect their pin-curl sets while they worked. Mine is not a full headscarf because I don’t want to be too warm; I left the top open and just tied the scarf around my usual messy up-do. That way, I get a retro vibe, but don’t have to go to all the work of setting pin curls.

2. I prefer skirts and frocks to trousers– first of all, they twirl nicely and (I hope) can serve to distract from the fact that I am frequently busy making a mess of my footwork or forgetting to listen to the music and losing count… Secondly, as long as one chooses breathable fabric (cotton!), they are cooler for dancing; I am all about trying to remain ladylike despite being all sweaty. This little frock is a cheapie from H&M– I don’t feel  bad about making it work hard.

3. Flats. Yes, I know. I have had to leave my beloved heels on the shelf lately, Interweb. Lindy Hop can be very fast. Heels and learning to dance do not mix. At all. So, I am always on the lookout for cute, flat (ish) shoes that look cute with dresses and skirts. They also need to be comfortable. For this evening’s lesson (for most of my lessons, actually), I opt for my Chucks. They are comfy and they are flat.

Headscarf: Ardene
Dress: H&M (I went a size up for comfort while twisting, hopping and twirling.)
Belt: Winners (also a size up)
Chuck Taylors: SoftMoc

I’m hoping the hairdo holds up– I have plans to match an outfit to a buddy’s this weekend and I want to wear my hair like this. If it works for class tonight, I know it will work for my weekly Saturday night dance, too!

Merry Christmas!

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LHR: Wooly Winterland

I wondered to our little corner of the web and realised that neither YYZ nor I had posted in months. I saw the snow falling on a photo of me in shorts and I thought this can’t go on. I must post and be appropriately dressed for the weather. So, I’m doing a quickie all about hats.

Here’s my newest knit creation – the Wellington Hat – modelled by my man in his new Pea Coat from Reiss. I knit it in Shacklewell Grey.

J wearing his Wellington Hat

Here are some other hats that I think are rather cool made by the Gang Makers at Wool and the Gang.

Tartan Zion Lion

Tartan Zion Lion in Space Black, Ivory White and Lipstick Red

Racing Stripes

Finally, here’s a hat that was NOT knitted that I picked up on my recent trip to Prague. It kind of reminds me of  Twiggy meets stewardess meets  I’m not sure what.

Me and our wreath before it was STOLEN

My new hat from Prague

Anyway, I posted 🙂

LHR: Hold Tight

Clearly YYZ and I have been preoccupied of late. YYZ has been very busy creating loveliness as she has always done, but now she’s sharing it with the world over at her other blog.

I have also been preoccupied as I started a fantastic new woolly (and cotton too) adventure at WOOL AND THE GANG. I don’t think I have ever mentioned where I worked before on this blog but given the relevance of my new gig, I thought it made sense.

Today’s post is all about WOOL AND THE GANG. We recently launched this cool collaboration with knitters in Britain. They’re all cool, hip, stylish and amazing knitters. Our designers designed the bags and the knitters made and customised them in colours of their choice. Of course I bought one (and in case you are wondering, it was at full price), here is the one I bought. I LOVE IT!

But first, here is a shot of the personalised packaging. Nice touch eh?

GET YOUR KNIT ON, Rodwellian!

As you can see below my maker was Hannah from Britain. You can browse the whole collection  as I noticed that Hannah’s clutch is sold out. I personally also love Emma’s Hold Tight Clutch which is not sold out.

Inside the box, I met my maker

Another super cool thing about this bag is the yarn.  WOOL AND THE GANG calls it Jersey Be Good yarn and it is made from the off-cuts of fabric in  traditional fashion production. Think the bits that usually fall on your sewing room floor that are destined for the rubbish. Not these, they were collected and cut in to strips and tied together to make this yarn. So, one for the environment and looking good. YAY!

Now here’s a few outfits with my clutch. It’s been hot, so loads of shorts were worn.

Hold Tight Clutch with black Tiger Tee

What I wore above:
T-shirt – Tiger Tee, better shown here.  Tee by Traffic People
Shorts – Mango
Shoes – Michael Kors  Ava Sandals bought with YYZ and Lisa Macri in NYC. (see photo below as they are cut off here)
Handbag – Hold Tight Clutch by Wool and the Gang

Michael Kors Ava Sandals

And, now for the second time I took my clutch.

Another hot day in London.

What I wore above:
Shorts – Levi’s jean shorts from my youth – circa 1984
Shoes – Silver Office Oxfords – they are looking very loved these days
Socks – white nylon stripey sockettes from Wolford bought on Vente-Privee
Top – Grey and White little number worn 4 years ago here (wow, my shoes and jeans look dated… it was 4 years ago)
Necklace – White Vintage Number bought in NYC this year with YYZ at a market in Hell’s Kitchen

Of Bustles and Bombshells

Are you addicted to Instagram? I am. It leaves Twitter in the dust, as far as I’m concerned. Instagram is all about the pretty. I am sure there are people somewhere who are using it for great social good, but I am not one of them and, sadly, I do not follow any of them. No sirree, my IG feed is all about the fluff. Pictures of cats (LOTS of pictures of cats!), pictures of pretty things, of food, of decor, of outfits. Yes, Interweb, I am as deep as a petri dish and Instagram allows me –nay, encourages me– to embrace that fact.

So, one of the folks I follow on IG is the very sweet Timnah of Created and Collected. Lots of ladies who sell vintage post pics of their lovely wares on their feeds. And the other day, Timnah posted the cutest, 1950s, bustled, bombshell, cotton dress. I casually inquired what size it was. Gentle Reader, it was MY SIZE.
Now, you know my #1 Vintage Shopping Rule: if it is your size, it is your dress. Period. The end.
There can be no dilly-dallying– a vintage frock is truly one-of-a-kind. A girl has to strike while the iron is hot. So I did. About a week later, this sweet little item arrived in the mail.

It’s home-made and I will need to do a bit of work to get the bustle (heck, yeah– I said bustle!) to sit properly, but I love the tucks in the bust region and, since it is vintage, the bodice is short-waisted, just like me. I know it’s a bit risky and probably not very smart to wear a bustle– who needs more junk in the trunk? But I am gonna do it anyway. I love that some girl made herself a bombshell dress with a BUSTLE!
I bet she had a great time in this dress.
I bet she was a total dish.

Love Song

So, as you probably know, Pantone (they are the official, world-wide gods of colour trends) have declared the colour of the year to be Emerald Green. Congratulations, Emerald Green– you deserve the honour!
If you have been following this blog, then you may have guessed that I COULDN’T BE HAPPIER.
I love this colour. I wear it every chance I get. It is one of my favourites. EVER.

Which brings me to this blazer. I love love love love it.
I love the inside (black cats on the lining!) and I love the outside.
I love the fit, the fabric and the way it feels when I wear it.
I love that I can put it with pretty much anything (yes, I do think that bright green is a neutral– don’t you?)
and I do wear it with pretty much everything.

Last week, I had one of those days when you get up in the morning and have no idea what to wear. Sometimes, if we’re lucky, the best outfits are born that way.
I have to say, I am pretty smitten with this one. I want to wear it every day.
It’s comfy, it’s cute and it involves my green blazer!

Blazer & Trousers: H&M
One-Shouldered (you’ll have to trust me) Top : Jacob
Blue Suede Shoes: Globo

Did Somebody Say…

…SALE?!

Okay, I was at the Dufferin Mall in search of paint chips for LHR’s cousin’s house (I’m helping her to do a bit of updating) and I ended up at H&M.
As you do.

And it is their mid-season sale.

And I am only human.

And these trousers were only $15!

And the adorable-but-impossible-to-see-in-my-lousy-photos black, Swiss-dot chiffon, PEPLUM-ed shirt was only $20. And the hot pink little fitted blazer was only $30.

That is all.

Don’t Go For Second Best, Baby

It’s March Break! (cue sound of angels singing) Which means a LOT of errands. Which means comfy shoes.

The first time I wore these shoes, no one said a word about them. Not one person. Not one word. It freaked me out a bit. I mean, they sort of make a statement, don’t you think? I thought the statement they were making was along the lines of, “Holy crap! COOL.” But then, when no one had anything to say about them, I began to wonder whether what they were really saying was, “The woman wearing these is a certifiable fashion victim.”
In the end, I decided I didn’t care because what matters is what I  think and I still think they rock.

I wear them all the time.

It was love at first sight for me when I saw these shoes. After all, they are an unholy marriage of all that I love: patent leather, Oxford brogues, black & white, STUDS! And I was not deterred at all to learn that the person behind them (okay, maybe it’s just her money is behind them) is none other than Madonna.

That’s right, Gentle Reader, my shoes are by Madge.
The line is called “Truth or Dare.”

 

LHR: Wonderland

Yesterday, we went to Rob and Ann Marie’s wedding. It was filled with lots of great moments including Lucha Libre thumb wrestling, a brilliant band – tragic roundabout and lots of other surprises.

Ann Marie decided that the wedding attire should match the formal setting (one mooregate place) and for that in particular I thank her. I’ve been dying to wear this vintage number I bought with YYZ about 5 years ago in a store on Ossington in Toronto. I believe it was I Miss You. However, YYZ will correct me as her memory (at least related to shopping) is impecable.

When I bought the dress, I imagined I would cut it off at the knees so I could wear it more often. As you can see I never did cut it off and I’m glad I didn’t. Don’t worry, I never will. Like most dresses, my short-waistedness causes a little of an issue and should probably get the back adjusted, but it’s probably a thing I’ll never get around to. Other than the back, it fits like a glove and is SUPER duper comfortable. In a few pics, I see the girls need a bit of hoisting. Oh well. That’s age for you.

Here are a few shots of what I wore (and a few of what others wore). There’s more of the wedding over on flickr.

J and I amongst the flowers

With the Opera Coat (bought again with YYZ but in Brooklyn)

My diamond engagement ring.

The gapey back

There was fun with light sabres.

The happy couple

The cake was truly sculptural. Look at Flickr for robot bride/groom

The bride’s shoes.

One of the many guests in a mask. Love that it is tartan.

What I wore?
Dress: 60’s vintage number by Ruth Dukas (Canadian – born in Poland) bought with YYZ (read more about her here)
Ring: complete trash bought with YYZ on this trip to NYC
Earrings: Vintage silver screw-ons. I lost one 😦
Shoes: Silver Gucci (bought 2nd hand and worn here)
Jacket: Green Opera Jacket with blue lining bought with YYZ (no label – perhaps homemade)
Bag: Silver bag bought with YYZ (there’s a bit of a theme here). I believe Aldo.

In case you are wondering why there were all these Lucha Libres, Ann Marie is studying at Lucha Britannia. (Her Lucha name is Chow Mein.) If you are visiting me, ask me to take you to a night there (if they have one on). It is brilliant albeit a little scary.

LHR: It’s raining. It’s pouring. The old man is snoring.

This is the usual soundtrack that runs through my head here in London. It rains a shedload in this country. I find it rather depressing sometimes. In fact, right now I wish I could hit the slopes for some snow, but it isn’t going to happen this year. I have some big things on my horizon (work-wise) and need to focus on that and ski later.

So, in the rain I stay and I might as well make the most of it.

Luckily, thanks to Mum and Dad who were visiting in December, I have a swanky new raincoat to wear when the days are grey and rainy. We picked it up at Spitalfields. I love it because I can wear it on my bike (with a high-vis vest of course) and pull up the French Lieutenant’s Woman inspired hood.

What do you think?

Ready for the rain

The collar/hood rolled down

French Lieutenant’s Woman Hood

Worn here on the day of the most uncomfortable shoe day ever!

I realize I didn’t take a shot with the coat unbuttoned. It looks really swanky with the top buttons undone. It changes the look and the collar again. Oh well. Perhaps another day I will post such a picture.